Historically armies of Europe usually did not fight wars during the winter months for obvious reasons. But Washington understood from the outset in 1775 that if he were going to win the war with England, he needed to have a fighting force active for 12 months a year. Washington desperately needed to keep his army together for the looming battle at Philadelphia which the English occupied during the winter of 1777-1778 when Washington arrived a Valley Forge which sits northwest of Philadelphia. Washington 's troops were desperately short of rations. Meat tended to be wormy and bread hard. Even so, his troops were constantly fighting hunger, cold and disease. Such conditions always negatively affect an army 's morale. And in the case of the